Wire reel



March-6, 1945. A. H. LUE-BKE WIRE REEL 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sep t. 2, 1942 filer/ewe H. Luna/r2.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 6, 1945. A. H. LUEBKE 2,370,868

WIRE REEL Filed Sept. 2, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 6, 1945, A. H. LUEBKE WIRE REEL Filed Sept. 2,.1942 3 Sheets-Sheet S INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 6, 1945 V v 1 2,370,868 I s flwmE RE L 7 Arthur H Luebke', Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to "Line Material Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corv poration of Delaware Application September 2', 1942 Serial No; 4574128 BQlaims'." 91 242-112) Thls invention relates to adjustable reels designed to support, pay;out, and rewind coilsof wire. r

. Ordinary power line and telephone wire put up in annular coils, without spools, and the insidediametersof the coils varythrough a considerable range. For obvious reasons it is practically necessary to mount such'a coil on a, rotat able reel for paying out and rewinding the wire;

and it is desirable that the. coil-supporting hub of the reel fit snugly, or nearly so, the bore of the coil. Manifestly, a reel of fixed hub diameter must be adapted to receive coils of relatively small bore if its utility is not tobe greatly-restricted;

and the use of such a reel with coils having large bores results in operating inconveniences which spell want of efiiciency. Hence, it will-be app al rent that a reel whichcan quickly be adjusted to accommodate properly coils of different insidediameters. is a thing much to bedesiredmore or less prone to get out of ord'er or which is excessively time-consuming in operation would entail no over-all advantage; andameel not so afiiizted would be commercially unfeasible inmany instances unlessit could be purchased ata fairly low price. f 1

Primarily, it is an object of .thisiinvention. to provide an expansible reel for wire coils inwhi ch radially movable carriers maybe actuatedfrom it a rotary member co-axial with the reel, the rotary motionbeing translated to axial motionwhich-in turn is translated to the radial movement through a system of levers, all so coordinated as to permit a minimum over-alldimension and to provide an inherently stable structure for,,seeu1-ely engaging various diameter .coilswithout the necessity of o the other han,d, an adjustable reel-whichis the top relative to Fig. 3.

Another object to provide an adjustable wire reel wherein radial adj ustmentrof the coil supporting carriermembersis effected through the medium of a'rotatable sleeve which is co-axial with the axis of rotation of ;the reel and operatively associated witha.plurality of link mechanisms which are aetuable'. individually upon the aforementioned carrier members.

A further object is toprovide an adjustable wire reel wherein the previously mentioned sleeve has right and left-hand'external threads whichare engaged respectively by follower members which are movable axially along the sleeve by saidthread in response to rotation .of thesleeveand'fwhich follower, members joperatively engage toggle mechanism which functions to effect radial move;- ments of the carrier members. if Still another object of the ,invention is to .ef:

fect radial movement" of the carrier membersby means, of lazy. tongsf'in co-operation with the rotatable sleeve having rig t ahdlefthand ex;- ternal threads engaging followers which serve to actuate one end of each "pair 9 la y tongs- A still further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable reel'which is so well constructed and so simple-and, sound mechanically thatthere is a "minimum likelihood-of its getting out'of order-andwhichyatthe same time, can be manufactured, especially on a quantity basis, at'a cost whichwill render permissive a selling'price low enough to beattractive V The reel hereinafter described is characterized in that all componentparts'can be produced economically Withoutcompromising'i fitness for their respective purposes', 'and further characterized in that the assembling of parts into 'a completed structure can be effected with a minimum expenditure of time.

The novel features of this invention are pointed out'hreinafterin conjunction with the detailed description of the preferred structure, which is Fig. 3 is afrontelevational'view-of the ree1--- a part being broken awayto expose details not otherwise clearly shown. I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4ofFig.3. I I r Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section, as viewed from Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views, mutually at right angles, of the brake;

Figs. 8 and 9 are details, mutually at right anglestof internallythreaded followers. v

Figmlo is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line Ill-40 of Fig.3. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view the line] l- -ll of Fig. 3.

The major features of the reel are shown quite adequately in thetwo perspective views,-'Figs. land 2-while the other figures of the drawings serveto illustrate construction details. r

The reel has an axial bore by means of which it is rotatably mountable on a stationary sup.-

taken along peripheral space 5, defined by a rear flange 6' face-to-face relation, connected together at their ends by plates 4| and 42, the configuration of which is shown in Fig. 4. These plates are welded to channels 39, 40 and are reduced widthwise at their ends to enter freely guide slots 21.

Mounted on sleeve 9 are two followers 43 and 44 respectively. Follower 43 is detailed in Figs. 8 and 9 andit will be seen that it is internally threaded to engage thread H on the. sleeve and has four radial ears 43a-43d. Follower 44 is identical with follower 43 except that the thread and a front flange I, and is supported on a radially adjustable hub, identified as a wholeby reference numeral 8. The front flange is removable to permit placing the coilon the hub and.

the latter is designed to be expanded into more or less gripping engagement with the bore of thecoil, after the coil has been mounted and the front flange replaced. The hub is, of course, also contractible as a prelude to applying the coil thereto.

The front and rear flanges, together with the adjustable hub structure and all other, components of the reel'per se. are supported, directly or. indirectly on a sleeve 9 which isbored lengthwise to. receive the. supporting shaft l. The. bore is indicated in Fig. 5 by reference numeralv Ill.

On theperiphery of. sleeve 9 is. cut a left-hand thread. ll and a. right hand thread l2, or vice VersaAaid threads co-terminating at l3. Mounted on sleeve 9 and rotatable thereon are collars l4 and l5; and the lowerend of the sleeve, as viewed in Fig. 5, is designed to receive the hub 16 of a crank ll-v having a handle 13. The sleeve iskey-slotted at I9 to engage apin 20 carried by hub [5,. The crank serves to rotate the sleeve independently of the remainder of the reel and also,- alternatively, to rotate the reel, including the" sleeve. The crank is with.- drawable from thesleeve and must be withdrawn topermit removal of front flange I;

Rear flange 6 includes a gusset plate 2lbored I centrally'tofit sleeve 9' on which it is rotatably mounted forwardly of collar l5-to which it is attached. This plate serves as a supporting member for, four radially projecting guide arms 22-25 inclusive, which are oriented in: quadrature and serve as supports for a peripheral flange rim 26. Said guide arms are of channel crosssection, (see Fig. 4')" each presentinga radially trending guide slot-one. ofv which is identified in Fig. 4 by reference numeral 21. See also Fig. 5.

Rotatably mounted on' the front end of sleeve 9 and attached to collar I4 is a plate 28, which is bored centrally to receive the sleeve. .This plate serves as a support for the removable front flang 7 which comprises, as major elements, a

.gusset plate 29, four radially projecting guide arms 30-33 inclusive; in quadrature, and a pcripheral flange rim 34. Guide arms 30-33 are aligned, respectively,- with guide arms 22-25 and are of like channel cross-section. The expansible'hub 8" comprises four carriers 35-38 in quadrature-each being disposed between and bridging a pair of radial guide arms and adjustably movable radially therealong. For

example, carrier 35 bridges guide arms 22 and 39 and has its ends disposed, respectively, in the slots 21 of said arms. Carriers 36, 31, and 38 are similarlysituated in relation to other individual pairs of guide arms respectively. Each carrier is composed of a pair of channels 39, 40 in spaced is of opposite pitch-it being remembered that threads H and I2 are left and right hand respectively, or vice versa. For the purpose of holding the two followers in angular alignment, each is provided with four notches 43e-43h. Said notches are spaced circumferentially in quadrature and it is therefore never necessary to rotate'either follower more than 22 degrees to bring the notches into alignment. After the reel has been otherwise assembled, the notches on the twofollowers are lined up by rotating one or both followers and a rod 45 (see Figs. 3 and'5) is extended through an aperture 46 or 41 in plate 28- and then through a; pair of, aligned notches; and the rear end of the rod is secured to plate 2l-by means of 'a machine screw 48. .To permit insertion of rod 45 when front flange 'l is in place, there are cut in plate 29a pair of notches 49* and 59. These afford access to apertures 46 and 43. Rod 45 serves to revent substantial rotation of followers. 43 and 44 relatively to rear and front flanges 6 and l. Asingle aperture 46 or 41 would suffice, but it is preferable to provide both because the front flange can be mounted in either of two angular positions degrees apart. The same applies to the provision of two notches 49 and 50 instead of onesuch notch only.

Each carrier is" interconnected individually with followers 43, 44' through the medium of lazy tongs 5|, each comprising a pair of crossed toggle links 52, 53 which are pivotally connected at 54. As shown most clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the inner ends of links 52, 53 are pivotally connected at 55, 58 to ears 43a, 44a, etc, indil outer endsieach' carry a transverse stud 51, 58

on which is mounted rollers 59, 60. Said rollers fit and are reliable along and within the channels of members 39, 40 as most clearly depicted in Fig. 3.

Rotation of sleeve. 9 by means of crank l'l, relatively to rear and front flanges 6 and 1 causes movement of followers 43, 44 toward or away from each other-depending upon the direction of rotation of the crank. If thread H is lefthand and thread I2 right-hand, clockwise rotation of crank I! will cause the followers (like wise rollers 59, 50) to approach each other and, from the position illustrated in Fig. 5, will cause the lazy tongs to extend and thus effect radial outward movement of thefour carrier members. I

a detail of which is shown in Fig. 11. Each latch comprises a latch plate 65, a detent 85 having a knob 61, and a backing spring 68. Latch plate 65 is attached to a tie bar '81; Detent 86. and spring 68 .are disposedin a guide slot 2lthe springxbeing interposed between thedetent and awlded-in abutment plate 69. g

A brake band 18 having a lining "H is suspended by means of a bolt 12 on' an angle bracket 13 which, in turn, is. welded to guide arm 22 Near the ends of the brake band and-welded thereto are lugs 14, having aligned apertures for the reception of a brake-operating bolt 16 which passes also through a bracket 11 welded to guide arm 24 and consisting of' a metal: strap bent U-shape. -A wing"nut I8 is' threadedto bolt Hi for contracting the brake band,'-'arid springs 19 and 80 encircling the boltserve to expand the brake band when the wing nut is slackened. When paying out Wire the"brak"ef is generally adjusted to drag slightlyand thus preyent-the reel over-running." The brake ma'y' be more forcefully applied to lock the reel i or 7 may i be entirely released for rewinding.

When the reel has been loaded with a coil wire and the hub expanded and the front flange replaced, it is desirable, if not always necessary, to lock sleeve 9 againstrotation' relatively to the front and rear flanges. This is because frictiona1 drag ofjshaft l on the-bore In of sleeve 9 tends'to give riseto such relative rotation and might thereby cause the hub-to contract. The locking of thesleeve is accomplishedby a manuallywithdrawable"boltwlil (see Figs. 3-ar1d one end of whichextends through anopeningin collar 14 and is--insertable*- into either of four picted-in Figsw3 and 10,- bolt 8| isout or'eng ge ment with sleeve 8 and the sleeve istherefore free to-rotate relatively to the front and rear flanges of the reel. By withdrawing-handle82 from notch 8'! and rotating it through asmall angle'ineither direction it-is cleared of extension and the bolt will then move under the- 1m petus'of spring 88 into locking engagement with the sleeve. 'To contractor expand the hub it' is necessary that bolt 8| be in-theunlocked position illustrated in Fig. 10; but when the desireddi'a metrical adjustment-of the hub has beenaccompl ijshed the bolt should be'release'd andthus allowed to-lock the sleeve.-

To'load the reel the lockingbolt is withdrawn and the hubcontracted to the necessary extent bymeans of crank ll. Then the front flange is removedby' unscrewingwing nuts 63 and releas his latches 64. Thecoil isplaced on the hub, the front flange replaced and-the hub expanded by rotating crank IT in the reverse d irect.ion When that'has been done the lockingboltjiSQre leased asabove; described. "The brake is then generally set to act as'a 'dragjand everythingjs irr'readiness for paying out the wire. Rewin mg sible and contractible hub disposed between said canbe accomplished by rotatingthe: reel with crank l 'I' while sleeveiS remains locked by bolt 8|; Whatis claimed is: s e 1. In a reel: a pairof spaced flanges having a common-axis of rotation, a diametrically expanflanges and including a. plurality of carriers spaced angularly about said axis and adjustably movable radially toward and away from said axis, said flanges having means for guiding said carriers radially, a rotatable member extending axially through said flanges and rotatable relatively thereto, said member having external right and left-hand threads disposed-between said flanges and co-axial with said-member, a pair of followother ends of the links of the lazy tongs lndividual thereto, said other ends of the links each being freely movable within said carrier in a horizontal direction opposite. to the direction of movement of the follower directly actuating each'such end.

2. In a reel: a pair of spaced flanges havingan" axis of rotation, a diametrically expansible and contractible hub rotatable with and disposed between said flanges and including a, plurality of carriersis'paced angularly about saidaxis and adjustably. movable radially toward and. away from said .axis, said flanges each including guiding means, 'a sleeve co-axialwith said flanges and having an axial bore for rotatably mountingthe reel 'on a supporting shaft, said sleeve being rotatable-relatively totsaid flanges andjcarriers and .hav'ing external right and left-hand threads disposed between said flanges, a pair of. followers disposed between said flanges and threaded internally to engage individually said right and lefthand threads,-each ofsaid followers being movable in directional opposition to the other by said threads and axially ofsaid sleeve in response to rotation of said sleeve relatively to said flanges, a pair of crossed links for each of said carriers interconnecting said carriers with said followers for effecting radial movement of said c'arriers'in response .to rotation of said sleeve relatively to ,said'flanges and manually operable means for locking said sleeve against rotation relatively to said flanges. r

h 3. .In areel: ahub having an axis of rotation,

I said hub including a plurality of carriers angurelation and carried by said member in engagement with said threadsyeach of said followers being movable inopposite directions relative to the other and along said member by said threads in reponse to rotation of said member relatively to said plates, radially extending guides for said carriers supported by said plates, a rod carried by and bridging said plates conjointly and extending lengthwise parallel to said member, said rod of relatively to saidplateasaid followers being freely movable. along said'rod axially'ofsaid memher when propelled by saidthreads, and toggle link mechanisminterconnecting said carriers with said followers; said toggle linkmechanism being operative to translate the movements of said followers axially of said member into simultaneous co-related radial movements of said carriers, said mechanism including a plurality of links each of which is pivotally' anchored intermediate its ends to cause each; end to move in opposition tothe other longitudinally relative to the axis of said reel.

4.. In a reel: asleeve having a longitudinal axis of rotation and bored axially to receive a supporting shaft, said sleeve having external right. and left-hand threads in seriatim, a pair of plates spaced apart in face-to-face relation and rotatably mounted on saidsleeve ateither end. of said sleeve, a pair of annular. followers threaded in,- ternally to engage said. right and left-hand threads individually, said followers being spaced apart in face-to-face relation and carried by said sleeve in engagement with said threads, each of said followers being movable in opposite directions relative to the other along said sleeve by said threads in response to rotation of said sleeve relatively'to said plates, a plurality of carriers symfreely movable along said rod axially of said sleeve when propelled by-said threads, toggle link mechanism interconnecting said carriers with said followers, and operative to translate the movements of said followers axially of sleeve into simultaneous co-related radial movements of said carriers, a manually releasable locking bolt for interlocking said sleeve with said plates to prevent relative rotation between said sleeve and plates except while said carriers are being moved radially, a removable front flange carried by one of said plates, a brake band carried bythe other of said plates and operative to engage a brake drum on the supporting shaft, and a crank removably engageable with one end of said sleeve.

5. In combination in a, reel, a mounting sleeve. a pair of guide members each disposed at an end of said sleeve opposite to the other and rotatable with the other as a unit about the axis of said sleeve, said sleeve being threaded between said guide members to provide a left-hand thread 2151- jacent one of said members and a right-hand thread adjacent the other of said members, a carrier extending between said guide members and guided thereby for movement radially of said sleeve, a pair of followers mounted on said sleeve and actuated by said threads for movement in opposition to each other axial of said sleeve, and a lazy tong interconnected between said followers and carrier forlmoving said carrier radially of said sleeve as said followers move axially thereof, said tong comprising a pair of links pivotally connected intermediate their ends and each pivotally connected with a follower and pivotally and slidably connected with said-carrier. the slidin movement of each link on said carrier being substantially equal to the similar movement of-the other link, whereby the forces exerted by said links upon said carrier are'substantially equally distributed in maintaining alignment of the carrier relative to the guide members and the stresses impos'cd'on the'links by a coil mounted on the carrier are substantially equalized'in said links.

6. In combination in a reel, a mounting sleeve, a pair of guide members each disposed at an end of said sleeve opposite the other,-said guide members as a unit and said sleeve being relatively rotatable, said sleeve being threaded between said members to provide a left-hand thread adjacent one of said members and a right-hand thread adjacent the other of said members, a carrier extending between said members and guided thereby for movement radially of said sleeve, '21 pair of followers mounted on said sleeve and actuated'by said threads for movement in opposisition to each other axially of said sleeve, a pair of links each pivotally connected with a follower and pivo-tally and slidably connected with said carrier, and a means pivotally interconnectin' said links intermediate their ends.

7.- In a reel: a pair. of spaced flanges having-a common. axis of rotation, adiametrically eX- pansible and contractible hub disposed between said flanges and including a plurality of channeled carriers spaced angularly about said axis and adjustably movable radially toward and away from said axis, said flanges having means, for guiding said channeled carriers radially, a rotatable member extending axially through said flanges and rotatable relatively thereto, said "member having external right and left-hand threads disposed between said flanges and coaxial with said member, a pair of followers disposed between said flanges and threaded internally to engage individually said right and lefthand threads, said followers being movable in directional opposition by said threads and axially of said member in response to rotation of said member relatively to said flanges, a plurality of lazy tong means individual to said channeled carriers, each comprising a pair of crossed pivotally interconnected links, each link pivotally connected at one end only to one of said followers individually,-rollers rotatably secured to the other ends of said links, said rollers being carried within the channels of said carriers and .freely movable therein.

8. In a reel: a diametrically expansible and contractible hub having an axis of rotation, a pair of guide members each disposed at an end of said hub opposite to the other and rotatable with the other as a unit about the axis of said hub, said hub including a plurality of carriers spaced angularly about said axis of rotation and adjustably movable radially in said guide mem-- bers toward and away from said axis, and manually operable mechanism for concurrently moving said carriers radially, said mechanism comprising an axially extending member rotatable relatively to said carriers and having external right andleft-hand threads, a pair of followers spaced axially of said member and engaging individually said right and left-hand threads, said followers being movable in directional-opposition by said thread and axially of said member in response to rotation of said member relativelyto said carriers, and lazy tong means for each of said carriers, each comprising a pair of link members connected individually to said followers, the other ends of the said link members being mounted individually on said carriersso as to have horizontal movement toward and away from each other as the said carriers are expanded and contracted.

9. In a ..reel: a diametrically expansible and hub including a plurality of channeled carriers spaced angularly about said axis and adjustably movable radially toward and away from said axis, and manually operable mechanismfor concurrently moving said channeled carriers radially, said mechanism comprising a member extending axiallyof said hub and rotatable relativelyto said channeled carriers, said members having exspaced annular followers internally threaded to engage said right and left-hand threads and movable axially in directional opposition along said member by said threads in response to ro- 2,s7o,ses

contractible hub having an axis of rotation said Iii - tation of said member, means extending lengthwise of said member and engaging said followers for preventing rotation of said followers relatively to said member without interfering with the movements of said followers axially of said member, a plurality of toggle means individual to said carriers, each comprising a pair of crossed links pivotally connected at one end only to said v followers individually, the other ends of the said ternal right and left-hand threads, a pair of 10 links being individually mounted within said channeled carriers and having free lateral move; ment therein.

ARTHUR H. LUEBKE. 

